Umami (2022) Movie Script
There is a man
who, despite his rich daily life
no longer feels any appetite for life
and whose feelings for his family
become weaker and weaker.
Let me tell you about him.
While it earns a lot of money, it
it leaves a stale taste.
And above this sweet, bitter
and also sad life
his once light-footed body has
put on fat,
his heart rebels,
his belly has become huge.
He should look with pride on a life's work
that is in full bloom,
but over his lavish lifestyle
it was as if frozen in ice.
Deep in his heart
he harbored a secret wish,
to say goodbye to this empty life
to say goodbye
and make up for lost time.
Like this famous chef
I too have put work
above my family.
DESINFECTION
As a result, I now live
crammed into a capsule hotel.
Let us now begin our story!
It tells of how two worlds collide
collide, in every sense of the word,
to unite at last.
IN THE SEARCH
FOR THE LOST TIME
UMAMI
A tidbit from Slony Sow
My dear Gabriel, I have the joy,
To give you your crystal star.
Here it is, the third and certainly
the one with the greatest prestige.
Did you have to make sacrifices
make sacrifices? -No.
Happy I am only
over my cooking pots.
Surely to the delight of your family.
Our families are sometimes further away
than the stars.
Mr. Carvin, what does this mean?
Is this a turning point for you?
Mr. Carvin...
-Was that your dream?
What do you think
of food influencers?
What's going on?
Everybody get to work!
We open in 20 minutes.
We forget the journalists
and offer good service!
In the absence of your father
I give the instructions here.
Let's get to work, people!
Yes, boss!
Where are you going?
Sucking the carrot of her critic.
-Idiot!
Please stay, Louise.
-No, I'm going.
Sorry.
You're just going to let them go?
-No.
Just like you let mom go.
Your dear mother!
Without them, you'd just be a whining,
limping, grumbling wreck.
My poor boy, what do you know?
-Aha, I see.
Mom went away crying.
What?
-She almost ran me over.
Really?
Come here, my dear Nino.
... the prestigious
third crystal star.
Only one restaurant from France
landed among the top 3 in the world:
"Monsieur Quelqu'un",
led by the famous Gabriel Carvin.
My dear Gabriel, I have the pleasure,
to present you with your crystal star.
Here he is now...
-With this pipe she cheats on you?
Yes.
It's my fault.
Happy I am only
over my cooking pots.
Two passions
are too much for me.
No women, no problems.
No, no!
No, don't say that.
That is the most wonderful thing of all.
It's just...
With the time one knows sometimes
no longer so right...
One becomes disoriented.
Should I stay?
-No, go to your buddies.
I'm fine.
-Sure?
However.
I can manage.
Good...
-Go ahead.
Don't drink too much, okay?
-No, that's the last one.
I'm about to go to sleep.
Kisses!
-Bye, my Nino!
Chief, it's me!
Hello?
I can't open the restaurant
not open tomorrow.
I have to go to a course,
so that I can keep my driver's license.
Do you want me to post the keys?
Hello? Hello?
Louise?
Gabriel?
Is anyone at home?
Hello?
Oh, damn. Damn!
Damn...
Chief! Chief!
Chief.
Gabriel.
Oh dear, damn!
It's always very intense
when you two fight, isn't it?
"After the onset of winter,
in the dark season,
stretches the dark,
frightening face of love
his bent heart from
and hangs on it the indifference
for the one it always loved."
Who is this nonsense from?
From me.
After university
I once wrote a book.
What was it about?
-It was a collection of poems.
A woman in search
for the perfect man.
After "Monsieur Quelqu'un".
But I never dared
to bring it out.
Excuse me.
Hello?
Yes.
Scalpel...
Oh, he has eaten well!
Coming in.
I understand,
that you don't want to go to university,
but go outside for a while to distract yourself.
Half past two. Have you eaten yet?
-I'm not hungry.
Why don't you come to the restaurant tonight?
-The therapist wants,
That I list what I want to do.
I am not finished yet.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO
As soon as I have some money saved up,
we're moving away.
I have to get back to work.
Take your pills, will you?
We can't open the door.
-Yet, we know.
The boss wants us to stay open.
So we do.
Jean?
Over the years
the chef had increasingly missed it,
his eldest son
to pay attention.
He is not strong enough to hold his own
to hold his own in this tough profession....
So, boss, let's get to work!
... was his firm conviction.
And with that, Gabriel Carvin,
without intending to,
much bitterness
into the heart of his son.
Good day!
Thanks for waiting! Take a seat.
Miso ramen? Good.
Miso ramen, please!
RAMEN "ITTETSU"
Just a moment.
Go away!
Do you realize
how much you hurt Mai?
With everything you like to eat.
Thank you.
KRBIS
VINE
GREEN COAL
MANGOLD
Four times pig's foot!
Everything all right?
-Yes, everything is fine. Thank you.
That's your choice for tonight.
Everything all right?
-Everything wonderful, thank you.
Very good.
A very good choice.
-Romane-Conti 1973.
Bon apptit.
-Thank you.
The guests are not satisfied.
What now?
Tell your boss,
the pig is a noble animal.
That's what I tell him.
And today we ride a bike
and see how your heart reacts.
His is better.
Bicycle? Why not ballet?
My booker and influencer takes
my restaurant for three days,
to review my dishes.
If I lose them, I lose 60 percent of my sales.
percent of my sales. Do you understand?
Oh, what a joy!
I have been waiting for you!
Here you get real medicine!
Quicklive shells,
that'll get you back on your feet.
Served with: Warm ice cider
and pure oyster juice
with finely chopped shallots.
That makes me feel better right away.
Two months after Gabriel Carvin
had been on the verge of death,
his restaurant was filled with guests,
celebrating the return of the boss.
But there could be no question
that he was in good health again.
This is not finished yet!
Bring out the fish!
-Yes, boss!
Get the fish out, damn it!
-Yes, chief.
Yes, chief.
-Yes, chief.
Is there anything to rinse off?
-Shut up! And move your asses!
Is the pig's foot ready, boss?
-No! It takes time!
Excuse me.
-Oh, my goodness!
Bummer.
It does not hold. Shit!
What are you staring at, you dumbasses?
None of this is any good!
How long will the mush last?
Why don't you shut up?
What's going on?
Nothing.
He can't finish a dish.
Whatever he is taught,
he retains nothing. Impossible.
You're drenched in sweat.
-I know.
Don't get so upset, will you?
Okay.
Go get some rest.
-Yes.
All right, all right...
Lose my restaurant...
I should rather have died.
I have no family, no heir.
Nothing. All alone.
My God...
They don't even know
what a pig's foot is.
Hey, hey, hey! Look!
That's just...
Look at that!
Hello!
Oh! Gabi!
Don't we have it good?
Peaceful. In the fresh air...
-No.
We don't have it good.
Hey... Pearls drive away misfortune.
And slow down.
Listen, everyone has his own way
to drive away misfortune.
I am at the end.
Why don't you retire?
Surely you still have dreams?
Nothing.
How about a family vacation?
Oh, come on,
We're not that kind of family anymore.
Besides, you have to get such a body
from the spot first.
Then move your mind.
Stop your witchcraft stuff.
Leave my spirit in peace.
What can we lose?
My dignity.
Do you understand?
Let your thoughts come and go.
Do not try to fight them off
or even control them.
Focus only on the commute....
... to the sound of my voice...
I said yes,
that doesn't work for me.
What do you remember?
Of what? Well, of...
To...
-An?
To something quite ingenious.
To a taste...
To Umami!
Umami.
Good God! Do you remember
that cooking contest?
42 years ago in Paris?
Yes, I remember.
I lost to a guy
who had presented a noodle soup.
And these jerks of judges
had discovered a new taste.
You really wanted to understand
what this fifth flavor was.
I never succeeded.
Yes, it was March 11, 1978.
-Yes
The anniversary of the death of Claude Franois.
-It's all there, under my nose.
What became of this Japanese chef?
-He is certainly a living legend.
Do you think I should...
Yes.
The sirens from the port of Alexandria
Still singing the same tune
... leads the butterflies
of my youth to their demise
Alexandria,
where everything begins and everything ends
I am hungrier than a barracuda
I will eat you raw
if you do not come back to me
That's pretty annoying.
Is there no H here?
The Google thing is unusual for me.
Ah, there it is.
And the F?
F...
I do not see it.
What is it?
You do it!
At this rate, your Japanese is dead
before you find him.
Where is the F?
-O Man! Watch out
Yes.
Tet...
-Pst.
T-E-T...
-Yes, yes.
I found him!
-My God!
Here.
-Let's see.
Yes, it is.
Dear God!
Ramen...
-That's him.
Yes, it is.
So where are you hiding?
-Nowhere, there he is.
Tetsuichi Morita.
Alexandria, Alexandra
Alexandria,
tonight I dance in your sheets
I will eat you raw,
if you do not return to me
Those barbarians!
Dad fucked off.
-It's bad right now, Nino.
Just listen to me!
What are you talking about?
Take it out, Lo.
Okay, what's going on?
-Don't you listen? Dad took off.
Fanny, the turbot!
I'll take him out!
"I'll be back as soon as
I've cleared up an old fantasy."
Still the mailbox.
An old pipe dream?
You should have expected that.
He'd be back tonight. He would never
leave the restaurant to me.
He took my small suitcase.
Yet he hates airports and train stations.
Oh man...
Excuse me, the connecting train?
Oh, sorry.
No.
-Why no?
The next train leaves tomorrow morning
at 06:20.
No one is driving tonight?
Tomorrow morning.
-Wait a minute, "tomorrow morning"....
You can't.
You have to find a train for me.
Where is that train going? That one over there?
I have been on the road since yesterday.
I tired.
I need to sleep.
Hotel.
-Hotel?
Yes! "Tomorrow morning"!
I do not know where I am.
Hotel?
-Yes, exactly: Hotel.
Oh dear, quite a clever head!
Unbelievable!
Hotel, yes.
Very simple: sleep.
Please don't!
So small, so practical!
Have you also come
to see the Festival of Lights?
Don't be afraid! Go on in.
So! Come in.
Come in!
Come in...
Dear God!
Not too hot!
Too good!
I met
this great French chef
that evening.
I told him,
how work had swallowed up my life
and I in the stormy ups and downs of the
of society
had won an insignificant name.
I revealed everything.
This friend of diabetes
will not have understood any of this.
But I did not care.
Like all guests of this hotel
we shared that evening
our loneliness with each other.
I had not seen my daughter
for five years.
She won't let me in the house.
But can I blame her for that?
I saw them on average
37 minutes a day.
My colleagues and customers, on the other hand
nine hours and thirteen minutes.
Plus the hours we spent
still went drinking.
And all at once
many monotonous years had passed.
Life is short.
Yes!
Life is really short.
As always, it was his stomach,
to whom he left it
to ease his sadness.
My big boy crashed at school,
when his mother left me.
He said that my lack of attention
was destroying them.
She died of ovarian cancer.
After that, my son moved back in with me.
He was determined to recover.
Determined to become a great chef.
Well...
My second wife, Louise,
sleeps with the guy
to whom I owe my success.
Such a dumb critic.
We have a son together, Nino.
Kind of an idealistic go-getter.
He has a good heart.
He's too spoiled, that's true.
The flavors of the past
have all been replaced by...
Through the shit of my body.
Well...
Through age, things...
You get old, you let yourself go.
Too much salt!
Yes, life is too salty.
Too much salt.
DANEBEN
I'LL MAKE IT NEXT TIME
Oh dear...
The thing is a coffin.
It's a disaster.
-Jean can't replace him.
Yes, he is putting a lot of effort into it.
-No.
He is a doer,
but without a gifted hand.
Good night.
I think it's through.
There you go.
Comm.
I cannot replace my father.
When the Influencer learns,
that I run the kitchen...
Why should we tell her?
If she thinks your father is there,
I'm sure she'll find it delicious.
That's how these snobs are.
But serve her a charred dish
like tonight, and it's over.
I have not slept so well
slept so well in years.
Yes?
One moment.
Sayonara.
-Sayonara!
Wait, wait!
Wait, wait...
My card.
I don't have a card,
I write it down.
This... is my restaurant.
If you ever come to France,
you'll come and see me, won't you?
So, here.
Well then...
-Sayonara!
Reunion.
See you around!
"Monsieur Quelqu'un".
Monsieur Quelqu'un!
Here you go, step in.
Thank you very much.
I will miss you guys.
Okay, you drive me, right?
-Okay.
Please.
Stop!
-What? -It's automatic.
Automatically? What's the point of that?
Automatic is nonsense!
Your key to the Emperor Suite.
We wish you
an excellent stay.
Please.
Elevator goes up.
Close doors.
I've been thinking about your idea
to lie to her.
But I don't know.
What if she wants to see the chef?
Yeah, maybe you're right.
I don't know.
I think here she comes.
Hurry up.
What are you doing here?
Did you cycle all the way here?
I took the train.
Where is my father?
What do you mean?
-He just took off.
Well, he's in Japan.
In Japan?
-Yes.
It's okay! It's automatic.
That's disgusting!
What is this?
What...
What a horror!
Here it can be impossible.
Enter!
Yes.
Please follow me.
Do you speak English?
-No, sorry! No English.
That can't be,
I'm in the wrong place.
Yes, this is not the right place.
He never mentioned the contest.
-Because he lost.
He kept that to himself.
In his condition,
on the other side of the world, alone...
Alone?
He is probably
feasting with his old acquaintance.
And what if he mugs!
My first pearl.
You know, when those oyster parks
were hit by the epidemic,
the oyster farmers from Hiroshima
from Hiroshima baby oysters,
to save us.
Crazy!
-So she's a little Japanese girl.
I give them to you.
-No!
Pearls are only worth something
if you give them away. -Seriously?
A godfather is not only there
to give useless gifts.
What exactly is "umami"?
Umami? Oh dear! Oh dear!
So, umami, it's.... it's good.
I would even say it is necessary.
Our ramen is all full of umami.
This one and this one and this one,
all umami.
"Koremo, huh?
-How about shoyu ramen?
Very good.
-One shoyu ramen. And to drink?
Beer? Sake?
-No, no!
I do not drink alcohol.
It's dangerous for the heart.
I had bypass surgery.
Bypass... Bang! Heart explodes.
One moment, please!
Holy shit.
Great God, the Grand Prix!
That's not possible.
Is it?
So? What do we do?
-Pst.
What do you think,
when your father is in Japan?
We have to find him.
If something happens to him,
we never forgive ourselves.
Don't be so theatrical.
He is very well.
You act like a pseudo-bourgeois.
That son of a bitch!
What a balance!
Hello, here the ittetsu.
-Friend of boss there?
Have you seen this man?
So, a Frenchman is here right now.
Wait, I don't understand.
Hold on a second.
-Doesn't matter, it's okay.
Sorry.
Please, here.
-What about it?
Hello?
Hello?
There's no one on it.
Hello?
Excuse me, miss....
Cook see...
Is it possible? -I'm calling my
I call my daughter. She speaks French.
Hello?
-Why aren't you answering?
I tried to sleep.
Sorry. Could you speak
talk to a French guest?
He wants something,
but I don't understand him.
I haven't spoken
I haven't spoken French in years.
Ask grandpa!
Your grandfather has to cook.
I can't disturb that one.
Please. He has some kind of problem.
Yes? Please. It seems to be important.
Give it to me.
Now leave me alone
with this phone!
What is it?
Hello? Hello?
Good day, sir.
-The heavens sent you!
My mother asks what you want.
I wanted to congratulate the chef.
I will tell her.
Hello?
-He wanted to talk to Grandpa.
Why?
-To say that it tasted.
Thank you! Now you can sleep.
See you later.
One little moment!
Slander buzzing through the Internet
have torn off the wings
torn off her wings.
Accompanied by a sad melody,
their wings tumbled to the ground.
Nino had always refused
owning a cell phone.
He wanted to be free
and rejected the consumer society,
version 2.0, rejected.
But sometimes such ideals harbor
little contradictions in themselves.
IN SEARCH OF THE LOST TIME
That's him. He says your ramen
taste very good to him.
Thank you very much.
Don't you recognize me?
Hey, it's me, Gabriel Carvin.
40 years ago. Remember!
There... here... the Grand Prix!
Hey! Remember!
Do not say,
I came for nothing.
So, how much do I owe you?
How much?
-We do not accept cards.
What a mess!
Crap! I have no cash!
Let me pay for you.
Alright, thanks.
Gabriel. Do you remember?
In Paris, with your wife.
Oh, screw it.
Excuse me.
But that is not necessary.
Excuse me.
Your offer is very kind.
I was afraid it would never work.
The poor man was disappointed.
Don't worry.
He is a top chef.
Possibly the best in the world.
What, you know him, father?
He was second in this competition.
You...
You were not yet born.
We can't let him go like this.
He came all the way here for you.
I'm sure there's a reason for that.
I'll go check on him.
Hello?
-I'm in the bathroom.
Sorry!
But please help me again.
What is it now?
-Let's help this Frenchman.
Why?
I lost him.
Hello? Mom?
Hello? I hear you.
I think I see him!
Be careful.
Wait! Sorry.
Excuse me. Father was not nice.
Please forgive him.
Whenever something brings back memories
brings back memories of my mother,
he recoils and closes himself off.
Please.
Hello?
We have two days,
to get ourselves back together, okay?
Great, thank you.
ENTRANCE
I am here,
to unravel the mystery of umami.
That sounds a bit pathetic,
but that's how it is.
He wants to find out what umami is.
That's why he's in Japan.
What nonsense.
Is he pulling our leg?
He also says.
It is "misrable", pathetic.
Isn't that the name of the book you like?
-Yes.
Is there any mention of umami in "Les Misrables"?
Is that enough? I'm taking a bath right now.
Sorry. Thank you!
Oh, wait!
Could you tell him to come
to come to the restaurant tomorrow night?
I'll get your grandfather
your grandfather.
My mother wants to persuade grandfather,
to help you.
Come to the restaurant tomorrow night.
-Thank you, madame.
Thank you.
-Thank you, Mai. Good night.
See you tomorrow then.
Bummer.
Nino must have arrived by now.
At his age, I would have done the same.
Getting old makes you stupid.
I should have gone
and looked for your father.
On the second evening, he wondered
whether his son's dishes,
no matter how hard he tried,
would not always be failures.
This concern preoccupied him.
It was the evening
when said famous blogger
the second time
should come to the test meal.
She had wanted to report to her followers
followers around the world,
how great the restaurant
with its new star,
but it had not been able to meet
could not meet their demands.
Whether another test meal was
worthwhile at all?
She began to have doubts about it.
"This restaurant
lacks its former glory."
The Internet was teeming with comments
with questionable authorship.
To live up to her reputation as the queen of bloggers
live up to it,
she wanted to make a fair judgment.
I don't understand,
I did everything just like him.
I should perhaps offer my own recipe
that I have mastered,
instead of trying to imitate it.
No, she wants what
what's on the menu.
You can do it.
Seriously?
Seriously.
No, no, no!
-What, "the door"? Go on!
THE ELENDS
Please.
Please sit down.
He will come as soon as he is ready.
A three-star restaurant is something else
than this lousy dump.
Sit down. You are drunk.
You know, I don't understand a word you're saying,
my pretty.
Leave him, I said.
-He's just had too much to drink.
What's it to us?
I don't want him here.
Excuse me. Please leave!
Go.
-Look.
Look closely.
Admire it!
Admire it! Admire it!
You too will die one day.
All alone.
Like a piece of dirt.
Yes.
Alone.
Good...
I'm going.
Yes.
Take over here.
Father!
Try the park.
PROBIER!
Which hotel are you staying at?
You speak French, you little pig.
-I was a cook for seven years.
New Caledonia.
Come on, get up.
The name of your hotel, please.
I don't know anymore. It has five stars.
Five stars?
You don't know
what "five stars" means, huh?
You don't care, do you? You're right.
Ai-ai-ai, I'm thirsty!
I have ice cold feet.
Please drive him
to the Grand Park Hotel.
He's not vomiting, is he?
-No idea.
Hold on. Please come with me and watch
take care of him! Otherwise I won't drive him.
Is that so?
All right. What to do!
Mom, I show the man everything.
I wish you
a pleasant stay.
If you need anything,
let me know.
Hey, leaving your friend like that....
-This is not a friend.
If he remains alone,
I have to notify the management.
I have to follow the rules.
It's about his safety.
Understand.
All right.
You don't have to notify anyone.
Now then...
Do you know where to find your father?
-In a restaurant in the center.
All right.
-I'll call you back.
Kisses, my dear.
SECOND PLACE
MONSIEUR QUELQU'UN
COLLECTION OF POEMS BY LOUISE LEVEROh, my head!
What happened?
What are you doing here?
Hello?
-I decided to help him.
Thank you.
-I'll be back late this afternoon.
To prepare the restaurant.
-Take care of yourself.
What is it? -Grandfather spends the day
with the Frenchman.
Will you help me at the restaurant?
Please.
I'm still reading the last two pages.
Matsuba-san? It's me.
Sorry to bother you so early.
I have a small request.
I am ashamed.
I'm sure you have other things to do
than to take care of my problems.
No, I'm going back to Tokyo
and take the first plane to Paris.
If you don't mind, I'd like you to..,
that you stay that long,
until you
discover the meaning of umami.
No, do not feel obligated.
Of course not. Nothing in life
obliges me to do anything.
The whole thing is nonsense. I have been hypnotized
I let myself be hypnotized by a charlatan.
Listen...
It would be an honor
to help you in your search.
I ask you.
Do you know the program?
Eat, eat and... eat.
Food?
This is the most beautiful program of all.
Other side.
Matsuba-san, sorry to bother you.
Sorry so early in the morning.
Welcome! This way, please.
I have been expecting you.
They're all wet!
Excuse me...
Please enter.
Tetsu, what is your friend
is looking for?
This is not a friend.
"Guest" doesn't quite cut it either.
-A guest?
He is looking for the secret of umami.
How funny!
Umami has a secret?
-Don't laugh.
I'll explain why you're here.
-This seems to amuse you.
So many kilometers,
to learn what umami is,
that is indeed very amusing.
This looks delicious.
Umami?
-No, no.
It is simply good against hangover.
Before you start, you need to
clean the palate and intestines.
After that you will be a little better prepared,
to find what you are here for.
Bon apptit.
-Itadakimasu.
Heee-e!
Like this: Hey?
And what does that mean?
This is an expression of amazement.
Amazement?
This is a great perplexity.
Matsuba will lend you a kimono
and for the local climate
more suitable shoes.
Oh no, I'll never wear one of those.
-Yes, you are.
Why a kimono?
I used to wear something like this,
when I did judo, but now...
It is very hilly.
-Even.
And we will ride a bicycle.
-Bike? In a kimono?
Yes.
Bicycle! Really! In a kimono.
I never get on a bicycle.
I have knee pain.
Perfect.
Wait.
What is it?
-Give it to me.
The part is super cool!
Surely this is better
than the food so far! Here you go.
She thinks you have not eaten well.
-Thank you, madame.
Tastes very good.
Yummy, he says.
-Nice.
I'll tell his father
that he is here.
She calls your father.
-No! It's a surprise.
You are not supposed to say anything yet.
-So? Good.
I'm still walking through the city,
until my father comes.
It looks much better on him.
I wish he was younger...
... and not so chubby. Too bad!
You should know,
that it belongs to my father.
He still drove it when he was 103 years old.
Treat it well!
This belonged to her father.
He was still riding a bicycle at the age of 103.
That's why she's attached to it.
-No, no.
Don't worry,
I won't climb on it.
You guys are out of your minds!
Tell her
her father can sleep peacefully.
Shut the fuck up!
Drive by, you idiot!
What a bummer!
My mother does not want
that you go alone.
You know,
both my parents are restaurateurs,
that's where you learn to get along on your own.
She is sad
if I do not go with you.
All right. Where are we going?
Mercy! Mercy! Mercy!
-Umami must be earned.
I do not like the mountains.
Where did you learn French so well?
-In school.
After learning English, Spanish
and Korean, I have learned
Then you have traveled a lot?
Never.
Why learn so many languages,
if not to travel?
Learning is traveling.
I would say traveling is learning.
But well, to each his thing.
There is a bus up to the ski resort.
You have to use the body
before it decays. Come!
Up there is
the best pig breeder in the region.
Pigs?
-Yes.
Up there? A pig farm?
-Yes.
Pigs. Pigs!
Are you sure you don't want to ride with me?
Really.
-Can't you ski?
How can that be,
when you live in the middle of mountains?
I'll teach you if you want.
Come on.
Comm.
Shit, damn!
Damn, I was going too fast.
My heart wants to
to jump out of my chest.
Then let it out.
I feel like I'm standing in front of
David Carradine in a kung fu episode.
Oh no, no! He is Chinese.
Take rather
Mister Miyagi from "Karate Kid".
He is Japanese.
"Apply wax..."
-Miyagi is all over me.
Would you like it if I said
that Obelix is German?
There she is.
-Tetsu-san!
Noriko-san!
-Tetsu-san, there you are!
Is this your strange guest,
looking for umami?
Right.
Before he finds it,
he'll freeze to death in this cold here.
All right, let's go! Go!
Thank you for your patience.
Here you go.
Oh, Taya, you're late! -I'm sorry,
I couldn't leave her alone.
Why are you alone in the restaurant?
Is your father not well?
No, he's fine.
Yuri, please help at the cash register.
Yuri, turn off the phone. Make an effort,
or there'll be no pocket money.
So what's going on with your father?
He is doing well...
Are you taking this to number four?
-Good.
When we close, I'll tell you everything.
-Good.
Thanks for waiting! Sorry.
Here you go!
Enjoy.
Good day.
-Good afternoon! How many people are you?
Four?
Please take a seat at this table.
Gently, gently...
Kanpai!
-Kanpai.
This meat is a symphony.
-In the bone of the pig
is the umami,
which serves as the basis for my broths.
Noriko plays music for them.
That is what makes their meat so tasty.
I'd like to see that. Really.
So, everybody get to work!
-Yes, boss!
Super!
May it be to your liking.
"The lobster la vanilla
by Chef Jean is delightful.
There is no better..."
Suddenly he was standing in front of the door!
But I didn't feel like
to invite him in.
For years, he didn't get in touch.
I have fond memories of him.
Is that so?
I have not one memory
of a kind gesture
of my drunken father.
Yuri, get off your cell phone already.
What else am I supposed to do?
-Clean up. Can't you see that for yourself?
Hey, hey, hey... Where are you going?
Into the fresh air.
It's totally smoky here.
Raising kids over 40 is tough.
-Excuse me?
I became a mother at 16.
We both have it hard.
Aren't you afraid to leave
to leave Mai alone with the Frenchman?
What scares me the most
when she is all alone.
But she does get a lot of medication.
Doesn't that reassure you?
Neither the medication
nor the psychotherapy help.
Her ex-boyfriend has posted nude pictures
on a revenge porn site.
To forget the memory of it...
... it needs something else.
It's like rape.
She feels soiled.
She will make it.
She has a strong core.
Enough about me.
You call your father slowly!
TAYA CALLS...
WON! CONGRATULATIONS
Aren't you too cold?
-No.
Is that him, your old acquaintance,
who has come,
to find the secret of umami?
That's right, Go-san.
-Umami, well!
Meet: Go.
The master of this place,
the candy virtuoso.
What is it?
It is amazing.
Candy.
Candy?
My godfather farmed oysters for 60 years.
And that was the first,
that he found. Isn't that crass?
Can you taste it?
Awaken the taste buds
of your palate!
Sour, salty, bitter, sweet...
Let us savor their sacred union!
Bite for bite
the desire increases
the insatiable desire
for overpowering.
Let us feel their swelling.
In other words, it's just like sex!
This will be difficult for me
to translate.
It seems to me
the master was just talking about ecstasy.
About love, to be more precise.
Thank you very much, sir.
A three-star restaurant,
I'm sure the food is delicious.
I think it's not bad.
No idea what's on the menu.
It would be my dream
to hold such a card in my hands.
So, what is there
at the "Monsieur Quelqu'un"?
What's wrong? Everything okay?
I am sorry.
"Pig's foot of Porc noir de Bigorre,
deboned, foie gras,
candied shallots,
grilled mushrooms, black truffles..."
A morning like all others
A new challenge
Search a little magic
In this disgruntled inertia
Limping in the rain
Playing the role of a lifetime
And one evening the curtain falls...
-Unbelievable!
So it is for all
Staying on your feet,
but at what price?
One's own instinct
and sacrifice one's own desire
That which is essential
Golly!
-I'm glad to see you too.
... and the first day
of the rest of your life
Confidential
"After the onset of winter,
in the dark season..."
Why do you always want to have it more beautiful?
Further and further, higher and higher?
Why do you want the moon
When you have the stars?
THE SECOND MOST BEAUTIFUL AFTER YOU,
I HAVE SEEN IN MY LIFE
When certainties break away
In a few seconds
"THE LOBSTER LA VANILLA
FROM CHEF JEAN IS DELIGHTFUL."
To weigh oneself in the grave
Is hard for all
Staying on your feet,
but at what price?
One's own instinct,
Sacrifice one's own desire
However confidential they may be
I'm so hungry! I'm about to fall over.
But everything can suddenly change...
-Fumi, good evening!
Oh, you're here too!
-Let's go to the back.
That is fateful
Why do you want the moon
When you have the stars?
"THE LOBSTER LA VANILLA
FROM CHEF JEAN IS DELIGHTFUL."
Table for two, please.
What are you doing here?
The two best chefs in the world
are said to be here.
Am I happy!
You have no idea
how happy I am.
The moment had come,
in which the arrogant monsieur understood,
that it is not valid
to reach for a fantasized moon,
and that each of us
is already in possession of stars.
And if the best recipe is the one
that reconciles us with life?
That of a family kitchen,
in which one complements the other,
has no certainties,
but the essential little joys of life
of life up close and personal?
Yes, the warm aroma of bread,
the scent of fresh herbs,
that sway in the wind,
the smell of chestnuts and mushrooms
in a wicker basket.
All these things,
that make us so alive.
Sometimes the taste hypnotizes us
and transports us to rare places,
where recipes are passed down from
passed down from generation to generation,
where the infinite variety
of the soil of a region
part of our senses
and our culture.
Today I still ask myself
how likely it was,
that all the ingredients of life,
which are often indigestible,
come together and transform...
... into a delicious bowl of ramen.
Yes, all of this together is umami.
-I raise my glass to umami!
To Umami!
-On Umami!
An aroma,
an odyssey,
a flavor enhancer
for the leaps of the heart.
I said yes,
that doesn't work for me.
What exactly do you remember?
Of what? Well...
To...
-An?
Something brilliant...
An aroma...
Ah yes...
Yes?
To a...
To an aroma of...
Yes?
... from...
... From family.
It's all there, right under my nose.
Yes, that's all
I remember.
who, despite his rich daily life
no longer feels any appetite for life
and whose feelings for his family
become weaker and weaker.
Let me tell you about him.
While it earns a lot of money, it
it leaves a stale taste.
And above this sweet, bitter
and also sad life
his once light-footed body has
put on fat,
his heart rebels,
his belly has become huge.
He should look with pride on a life's work
that is in full bloom,
but over his lavish lifestyle
it was as if frozen in ice.
Deep in his heart
he harbored a secret wish,
to say goodbye to this empty life
to say goodbye
and make up for lost time.
Like this famous chef
I too have put work
above my family.
DESINFECTION
As a result, I now live
crammed into a capsule hotel.
Let us now begin our story!
It tells of how two worlds collide
collide, in every sense of the word,
to unite at last.
IN THE SEARCH
FOR THE LOST TIME
UMAMI
A tidbit from Slony Sow
My dear Gabriel, I have the joy,
To give you your crystal star.
Here it is, the third and certainly
the one with the greatest prestige.
Did you have to make sacrifices
make sacrifices? -No.
Happy I am only
over my cooking pots.
Surely to the delight of your family.
Our families are sometimes further away
than the stars.
Mr. Carvin, what does this mean?
Is this a turning point for you?
Mr. Carvin...
-Was that your dream?
What do you think
of food influencers?
What's going on?
Everybody get to work!
We open in 20 minutes.
We forget the journalists
and offer good service!
In the absence of your father
I give the instructions here.
Let's get to work, people!
Yes, boss!
Where are you going?
Sucking the carrot of her critic.
-Idiot!
Please stay, Louise.
-No, I'm going.
Sorry.
You're just going to let them go?
-No.
Just like you let mom go.
Your dear mother!
Without them, you'd just be a whining,
limping, grumbling wreck.
My poor boy, what do you know?
-Aha, I see.
Mom went away crying.
What?
-She almost ran me over.
Really?
Come here, my dear Nino.
... the prestigious
third crystal star.
Only one restaurant from France
landed among the top 3 in the world:
"Monsieur Quelqu'un",
led by the famous Gabriel Carvin.
My dear Gabriel, I have the pleasure,
to present you with your crystal star.
Here he is now...
-With this pipe she cheats on you?
Yes.
It's my fault.
Happy I am only
over my cooking pots.
Two passions
are too much for me.
No women, no problems.
No, no!
No, don't say that.
That is the most wonderful thing of all.
It's just...
With the time one knows sometimes
no longer so right...
One becomes disoriented.
Should I stay?
-No, go to your buddies.
I'm fine.
-Sure?
However.
I can manage.
Good...
-Go ahead.
Don't drink too much, okay?
-No, that's the last one.
I'm about to go to sleep.
Kisses!
-Bye, my Nino!
Chief, it's me!
Hello?
I can't open the restaurant
not open tomorrow.
I have to go to a course,
so that I can keep my driver's license.
Do you want me to post the keys?
Hello? Hello?
Louise?
Gabriel?
Is anyone at home?
Hello?
Oh, damn. Damn!
Damn...
Chief! Chief!
Chief.
Gabriel.
Oh dear, damn!
It's always very intense
when you two fight, isn't it?
"After the onset of winter,
in the dark season,
stretches the dark,
frightening face of love
his bent heart from
and hangs on it the indifference
for the one it always loved."
Who is this nonsense from?
From me.
After university
I once wrote a book.
What was it about?
-It was a collection of poems.
A woman in search
for the perfect man.
After "Monsieur Quelqu'un".
But I never dared
to bring it out.
Excuse me.
Hello?
Yes.
Scalpel...
Oh, he has eaten well!
Coming in.
I understand,
that you don't want to go to university,
but go outside for a while to distract yourself.
Half past two. Have you eaten yet?
-I'm not hungry.
Why don't you come to the restaurant tonight?
-The therapist wants,
That I list what I want to do.
I am not finished yet.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO
As soon as I have some money saved up,
we're moving away.
I have to get back to work.
Take your pills, will you?
We can't open the door.
-Yet, we know.
The boss wants us to stay open.
So we do.
Jean?
Over the years
the chef had increasingly missed it,
his eldest son
to pay attention.
He is not strong enough to hold his own
to hold his own in this tough profession....
So, boss, let's get to work!
... was his firm conviction.
And with that, Gabriel Carvin,
without intending to,
much bitterness
into the heart of his son.
Good day!
Thanks for waiting! Take a seat.
Miso ramen? Good.
Miso ramen, please!
RAMEN "ITTETSU"
Just a moment.
Go away!
Do you realize
how much you hurt Mai?
With everything you like to eat.
Thank you.
KRBIS
VINE
GREEN COAL
MANGOLD
Four times pig's foot!
Everything all right?
-Yes, everything is fine. Thank you.
That's your choice for tonight.
Everything all right?
-Everything wonderful, thank you.
Very good.
A very good choice.
-Romane-Conti 1973.
Bon apptit.
-Thank you.
The guests are not satisfied.
What now?
Tell your boss,
the pig is a noble animal.
That's what I tell him.
And today we ride a bike
and see how your heart reacts.
His is better.
Bicycle? Why not ballet?
My booker and influencer takes
my restaurant for three days,
to review my dishes.
If I lose them, I lose 60 percent of my sales.
percent of my sales. Do you understand?
Oh, what a joy!
I have been waiting for you!
Here you get real medicine!
Quicklive shells,
that'll get you back on your feet.
Served with: Warm ice cider
and pure oyster juice
with finely chopped shallots.
That makes me feel better right away.
Two months after Gabriel Carvin
had been on the verge of death,
his restaurant was filled with guests,
celebrating the return of the boss.
But there could be no question
that he was in good health again.
This is not finished yet!
Bring out the fish!
-Yes, boss!
Get the fish out, damn it!
-Yes, chief.
Yes, chief.
-Yes, chief.
Is there anything to rinse off?
-Shut up! And move your asses!
Is the pig's foot ready, boss?
-No! It takes time!
Excuse me.
-Oh, my goodness!
Bummer.
It does not hold. Shit!
What are you staring at, you dumbasses?
None of this is any good!
How long will the mush last?
Why don't you shut up?
What's going on?
Nothing.
He can't finish a dish.
Whatever he is taught,
he retains nothing. Impossible.
You're drenched in sweat.
-I know.
Don't get so upset, will you?
Okay.
Go get some rest.
-Yes.
All right, all right...
Lose my restaurant...
I should rather have died.
I have no family, no heir.
Nothing. All alone.
My God...
They don't even know
what a pig's foot is.
Hey, hey, hey! Look!
That's just...
Look at that!
Hello!
Oh! Gabi!
Don't we have it good?
Peaceful. In the fresh air...
-No.
We don't have it good.
Hey... Pearls drive away misfortune.
And slow down.
Listen, everyone has his own way
to drive away misfortune.
I am at the end.
Why don't you retire?
Surely you still have dreams?
Nothing.
How about a family vacation?
Oh, come on,
We're not that kind of family anymore.
Besides, you have to get such a body
from the spot first.
Then move your mind.
Stop your witchcraft stuff.
Leave my spirit in peace.
What can we lose?
My dignity.
Do you understand?
Let your thoughts come and go.
Do not try to fight them off
or even control them.
Focus only on the commute....
... to the sound of my voice...
I said yes,
that doesn't work for me.
What do you remember?
Of what? Well, of...
To...
-An?
To something quite ingenious.
To a taste...
To Umami!
Umami.
Good God! Do you remember
that cooking contest?
42 years ago in Paris?
Yes, I remember.
I lost to a guy
who had presented a noodle soup.
And these jerks of judges
had discovered a new taste.
You really wanted to understand
what this fifth flavor was.
I never succeeded.
Yes, it was March 11, 1978.
-Yes
The anniversary of the death of Claude Franois.
-It's all there, under my nose.
What became of this Japanese chef?
-He is certainly a living legend.
Do you think I should...
Yes.
The sirens from the port of Alexandria
Still singing the same tune
... leads the butterflies
of my youth to their demise
Alexandria,
where everything begins and everything ends
I am hungrier than a barracuda
I will eat you raw
if you do not come back to me
That's pretty annoying.
Is there no H here?
The Google thing is unusual for me.
Ah, there it is.
And the F?
F...
I do not see it.
What is it?
You do it!
At this rate, your Japanese is dead
before you find him.
Where is the F?
-O Man! Watch out
Yes.
Tet...
-Pst.
T-E-T...
-Yes, yes.
I found him!
-My God!
Here.
-Let's see.
Yes, it is.
Dear God!
Ramen...
-That's him.
Yes, it is.
So where are you hiding?
-Nowhere, there he is.
Tetsuichi Morita.
Alexandria, Alexandra
Alexandria,
tonight I dance in your sheets
I will eat you raw,
if you do not return to me
Those barbarians!
Dad fucked off.
-It's bad right now, Nino.
Just listen to me!
What are you talking about?
Take it out, Lo.
Okay, what's going on?
-Don't you listen? Dad took off.
Fanny, the turbot!
I'll take him out!
"I'll be back as soon as
I've cleared up an old fantasy."
Still the mailbox.
An old pipe dream?
You should have expected that.
He'd be back tonight. He would never
leave the restaurant to me.
He took my small suitcase.
Yet he hates airports and train stations.
Oh man...
Excuse me, the connecting train?
Oh, sorry.
No.
-Why no?
The next train leaves tomorrow morning
at 06:20.
No one is driving tonight?
Tomorrow morning.
-Wait a minute, "tomorrow morning"....
You can't.
You have to find a train for me.
Where is that train going? That one over there?
I have been on the road since yesterday.
I tired.
I need to sleep.
Hotel.
-Hotel?
Yes! "Tomorrow morning"!
I do not know where I am.
Hotel?
-Yes, exactly: Hotel.
Oh dear, quite a clever head!
Unbelievable!
Hotel, yes.
Very simple: sleep.
Please don't!
So small, so practical!
Have you also come
to see the Festival of Lights?
Don't be afraid! Go on in.
So! Come in.
Come in!
Come in...
Dear God!
Not too hot!
Too good!
I met
this great French chef
that evening.
I told him,
how work had swallowed up my life
and I in the stormy ups and downs of the
of society
had won an insignificant name.
I revealed everything.
This friend of diabetes
will not have understood any of this.
But I did not care.
Like all guests of this hotel
we shared that evening
our loneliness with each other.
I had not seen my daughter
for five years.
She won't let me in the house.
But can I blame her for that?
I saw them on average
37 minutes a day.
My colleagues and customers, on the other hand
nine hours and thirteen minutes.
Plus the hours we spent
still went drinking.
And all at once
many monotonous years had passed.
Life is short.
Yes!
Life is really short.
As always, it was his stomach,
to whom he left it
to ease his sadness.
My big boy crashed at school,
when his mother left me.
He said that my lack of attention
was destroying them.
She died of ovarian cancer.
After that, my son moved back in with me.
He was determined to recover.
Determined to become a great chef.
Well...
My second wife, Louise,
sleeps with the guy
to whom I owe my success.
Such a dumb critic.
We have a son together, Nino.
Kind of an idealistic go-getter.
He has a good heart.
He's too spoiled, that's true.
The flavors of the past
have all been replaced by...
Through the shit of my body.
Well...
Through age, things...
You get old, you let yourself go.
Too much salt!
Yes, life is too salty.
Too much salt.
DANEBEN
I'LL MAKE IT NEXT TIME
Oh dear...
The thing is a coffin.
It's a disaster.
-Jean can't replace him.
Yes, he is putting a lot of effort into it.
-No.
He is a doer,
but without a gifted hand.
Good night.
I think it's through.
There you go.
Comm.
I cannot replace my father.
When the Influencer learns,
that I run the kitchen...
Why should we tell her?
If she thinks your father is there,
I'm sure she'll find it delicious.
That's how these snobs are.
But serve her a charred dish
like tonight, and it's over.
I have not slept so well
slept so well in years.
Yes?
One moment.
Sayonara.
-Sayonara!
Wait, wait!
Wait, wait...
My card.
I don't have a card,
I write it down.
This... is my restaurant.
If you ever come to France,
you'll come and see me, won't you?
So, here.
Well then...
-Sayonara!
Reunion.
See you around!
"Monsieur Quelqu'un".
Monsieur Quelqu'un!
Here you go, step in.
Thank you very much.
I will miss you guys.
Okay, you drive me, right?
-Okay.
Please.
Stop!
-What? -It's automatic.
Automatically? What's the point of that?
Automatic is nonsense!
Your key to the Emperor Suite.
We wish you
an excellent stay.
Please.
Elevator goes up.
Close doors.
I've been thinking about your idea
to lie to her.
But I don't know.
What if she wants to see the chef?
Yeah, maybe you're right.
I don't know.
I think here she comes.
Hurry up.
What are you doing here?
Did you cycle all the way here?
I took the train.
Where is my father?
What do you mean?
-He just took off.
Well, he's in Japan.
In Japan?
-Yes.
It's okay! It's automatic.
That's disgusting!
What is this?
What...
What a horror!
Here it can be impossible.
Enter!
Yes.
Please follow me.
Do you speak English?
-No, sorry! No English.
That can't be,
I'm in the wrong place.
Yes, this is not the right place.
He never mentioned the contest.
-Because he lost.
He kept that to himself.
In his condition,
on the other side of the world, alone...
Alone?
He is probably
feasting with his old acquaintance.
And what if he mugs!
My first pearl.
You know, when those oyster parks
were hit by the epidemic,
the oyster farmers from Hiroshima
from Hiroshima baby oysters,
to save us.
Crazy!
-So she's a little Japanese girl.
I give them to you.
-No!
Pearls are only worth something
if you give them away. -Seriously?
A godfather is not only there
to give useless gifts.
What exactly is "umami"?
Umami? Oh dear! Oh dear!
So, umami, it's.... it's good.
I would even say it is necessary.
Our ramen is all full of umami.
This one and this one and this one,
all umami.
"Koremo, huh?
-How about shoyu ramen?
Very good.
-One shoyu ramen. And to drink?
Beer? Sake?
-No, no!
I do not drink alcohol.
It's dangerous for the heart.
I had bypass surgery.
Bypass... Bang! Heart explodes.
One moment, please!
Holy shit.
Great God, the Grand Prix!
That's not possible.
Is it?
So? What do we do?
-Pst.
What do you think,
when your father is in Japan?
We have to find him.
If something happens to him,
we never forgive ourselves.
Don't be so theatrical.
He is very well.
You act like a pseudo-bourgeois.
That son of a bitch!
What a balance!
Hello, here the ittetsu.
-Friend of boss there?
Have you seen this man?
So, a Frenchman is here right now.
Wait, I don't understand.
Hold on a second.
-Doesn't matter, it's okay.
Sorry.
Please, here.
-What about it?
Hello?
Hello?
There's no one on it.
Hello?
Excuse me, miss....
Cook see...
Is it possible? -I'm calling my
I call my daughter. She speaks French.
Hello?
-Why aren't you answering?
I tried to sleep.
Sorry. Could you speak
talk to a French guest?
He wants something,
but I don't understand him.
I haven't spoken
I haven't spoken French in years.
Ask grandpa!
Your grandfather has to cook.
I can't disturb that one.
Please. He has some kind of problem.
Yes? Please. It seems to be important.
Give it to me.
Now leave me alone
with this phone!
What is it?
Hello? Hello?
Good day, sir.
-The heavens sent you!
My mother asks what you want.
I wanted to congratulate the chef.
I will tell her.
Hello?
-He wanted to talk to Grandpa.
Why?
-To say that it tasted.
Thank you! Now you can sleep.
See you later.
One little moment!
Slander buzzing through the Internet
have torn off the wings
torn off her wings.
Accompanied by a sad melody,
their wings tumbled to the ground.
Nino had always refused
owning a cell phone.
He wanted to be free
and rejected the consumer society,
version 2.0, rejected.
But sometimes such ideals harbor
little contradictions in themselves.
IN SEARCH OF THE LOST TIME
That's him. He says your ramen
taste very good to him.
Thank you very much.
Don't you recognize me?
Hey, it's me, Gabriel Carvin.
40 years ago. Remember!
There... here... the Grand Prix!
Hey! Remember!
Do not say,
I came for nothing.
So, how much do I owe you?
How much?
-We do not accept cards.
What a mess!
Crap! I have no cash!
Let me pay for you.
Alright, thanks.
Gabriel. Do you remember?
In Paris, with your wife.
Oh, screw it.
Excuse me.
But that is not necessary.
Excuse me.
Your offer is very kind.
I was afraid it would never work.
The poor man was disappointed.
Don't worry.
He is a top chef.
Possibly the best in the world.
What, you know him, father?
He was second in this competition.
You...
You were not yet born.
We can't let him go like this.
He came all the way here for you.
I'm sure there's a reason for that.
I'll go check on him.
Hello?
-I'm in the bathroom.
Sorry!
But please help me again.
What is it now?
-Let's help this Frenchman.
Why?
I lost him.
Hello? Mom?
Hello? I hear you.
I think I see him!
Be careful.
Wait! Sorry.
Excuse me. Father was not nice.
Please forgive him.
Whenever something brings back memories
brings back memories of my mother,
he recoils and closes himself off.
Please.
Hello?
We have two days,
to get ourselves back together, okay?
Great, thank you.
ENTRANCE
I am here,
to unravel the mystery of umami.
That sounds a bit pathetic,
but that's how it is.
He wants to find out what umami is.
That's why he's in Japan.
What nonsense.
Is he pulling our leg?
He also says.
It is "misrable", pathetic.
Isn't that the name of the book you like?
-Yes.
Is there any mention of umami in "Les Misrables"?
Is that enough? I'm taking a bath right now.
Sorry. Thank you!
Oh, wait!
Could you tell him to come
to come to the restaurant tomorrow night?
I'll get your grandfather
your grandfather.
My mother wants to persuade grandfather,
to help you.
Come to the restaurant tomorrow night.
-Thank you, madame.
Thank you.
-Thank you, Mai. Good night.
See you tomorrow then.
Bummer.
Nino must have arrived by now.
At his age, I would have done the same.
Getting old makes you stupid.
I should have gone
and looked for your father.
On the second evening, he wondered
whether his son's dishes,
no matter how hard he tried,
would not always be failures.
This concern preoccupied him.
It was the evening
when said famous blogger
the second time
should come to the test meal.
She had wanted to report to her followers
followers around the world,
how great the restaurant
with its new star,
but it had not been able to meet
could not meet their demands.
Whether another test meal was
worthwhile at all?
She began to have doubts about it.
"This restaurant
lacks its former glory."
The Internet was teeming with comments
with questionable authorship.
To live up to her reputation as the queen of bloggers
live up to it,
she wanted to make a fair judgment.
I don't understand,
I did everything just like him.
I should perhaps offer my own recipe
that I have mastered,
instead of trying to imitate it.
No, she wants what
what's on the menu.
You can do it.
Seriously?
Seriously.
No, no, no!
-What, "the door"? Go on!
THE ELENDS
Please.
Please sit down.
He will come as soon as he is ready.
A three-star restaurant is something else
than this lousy dump.
Sit down. You are drunk.
You know, I don't understand a word you're saying,
my pretty.
Leave him, I said.
-He's just had too much to drink.
What's it to us?
I don't want him here.
Excuse me. Please leave!
Go.
-Look.
Look closely.
Admire it!
Admire it! Admire it!
You too will die one day.
All alone.
Like a piece of dirt.
Yes.
Alone.
Good...
I'm going.
Yes.
Take over here.
Father!
Try the park.
PROBIER!
Which hotel are you staying at?
You speak French, you little pig.
-I was a cook for seven years.
New Caledonia.
Come on, get up.
The name of your hotel, please.
I don't know anymore. It has five stars.
Five stars?
You don't know
what "five stars" means, huh?
You don't care, do you? You're right.
Ai-ai-ai, I'm thirsty!
I have ice cold feet.
Please drive him
to the Grand Park Hotel.
He's not vomiting, is he?
-No idea.
Hold on. Please come with me and watch
take care of him! Otherwise I won't drive him.
Is that so?
All right. What to do!
Mom, I show the man everything.
I wish you
a pleasant stay.
If you need anything,
let me know.
Hey, leaving your friend like that....
-This is not a friend.
If he remains alone,
I have to notify the management.
I have to follow the rules.
It's about his safety.
Understand.
All right.
You don't have to notify anyone.
Now then...
Do you know where to find your father?
-In a restaurant in the center.
All right.
-I'll call you back.
Kisses, my dear.
SECOND PLACE
MONSIEUR QUELQU'UN
COLLECTION OF POEMS BY LOUISE LEVEROh, my head!
What happened?
What are you doing here?
Hello?
-I decided to help him.
Thank you.
-I'll be back late this afternoon.
To prepare the restaurant.
-Take care of yourself.
What is it? -Grandfather spends the day
with the Frenchman.
Will you help me at the restaurant?
Please.
I'm still reading the last two pages.
Matsuba-san? It's me.
Sorry to bother you so early.
I have a small request.
I am ashamed.
I'm sure you have other things to do
than to take care of my problems.
No, I'm going back to Tokyo
and take the first plane to Paris.
If you don't mind, I'd like you to..,
that you stay that long,
until you
discover the meaning of umami.
No, do not feel obligated.
Of course not. Nothing in life
obliges me to do anything.
The whole thing is nonsense. I have been hypnotized
I let myself be hypnotized by a charlatan.
Listen...
It would be an honor
to help you in your search.
I ask you.
Do you know the program?
Eat, eat and... eat.
Food?
This is the most beautiful program of all.
Other side.
Matsuba-san, sorry to bother you.
Sorry so early in the morning.
Welcome! This way, please.
I have been expecting you.
They're all wet!
Excuse me...
Please enter.
Tetsu, what is your friend
is looking for?
This is not a friend.
"Guest" doesn't quite cut it either.
-A guest?
He is looking for the secret of umami.
How funny!
Umami has a secret?
-Don't laugh.
I'll explain why you're here.
-This seems to amuse you.
So many kilometers,
to learn what umami is,
that is indeed very amusing.
This looks delicious.
Umami?
-No, no.
It is simply good against hangover.
Before you start, you need to
clean the palate and intestines.
After that you will be a little better prepared,
to find what you are here for.
Bon apptit.
-Itadakimasu.
Heee-e!
Like this: Hey?
And what does that mean?
This is an expression of amazement.
Amazement?
This is a great perplexity.
Matsuba will lend you a kimono
and for the local climate
more suitable shoes.
Oh no, I'll never wear one of those.
-Yes, you are.
Why a kimono?
I used to wear something like this,
when I did judo, but now...
It is very hilly.
-Even.
And we will ride a bicycle.
-Bike? In a kimono?
Yes.
Bicycle! Really! In a kimono.
I never get on a bicycle.
I have knee pain.
Perfect.
Wait.
What is it?
-Give it to me.
The part is super cool!
Surely this is better
than the food so far! Here you go.
She thinks you have not eaten well.
-Thank you, madame.
Tastes very good.
Yummy, he says.
-Nice.
I'll tell his father
that he is here.
She calls your father.
-No! It's a surprise.
You are not supposed to say anything yet.
-So? Good.
I'm still walking through the city,
until my father comes.
It looks much better on him.
I wish he was younger...
... and not so chubby. Too bad!
You should know,
that it belongs to my father.
He still drove it when he was 103 years old.
Treat it well!
This belonged to her father.
He was still riding a bicycle at the age of 103.
That's why she's attached to it.
-No, no.
Don't worry,
I won't climb on it.
You guys are out of your minds!
Tell her
her father can sleep peacefully.
Shut the fuck up!
Drive by, you idiot!
What a bummer!
My mother does not want
that you go alone.
You know,
both my parents are restaurateurs,
that's where you learn to get along on your own.
She is sad
if I do not go with you.
All right. Where are we going?
Mercy! Mercy! Mercy!
-Umami must be earned.
I do not like the mountains.
Where did you learn French so well?
-In school.
After learning English, Spanish
and Korean, I have learned
Then you have traveled a lot?
Never.
Why learn so many languages,
if not to travel?
Learning is traveling.
I would say traveling is learning.
But well, to each his thing.
There is a bus up to the ski resort.
You have to use the body
before it decays. Come!
Up there is
the best pig breeder in the region.
Pigs?
-Yes.
Up there? A pig farm?
-Yes.
Pigs. Pigs!
Are you sure you don't want to ride with me?
Really.
-Can't you ski?
How can that be,
when you live in the middle of mountains?
I'll teach you if you want.
Come on.
Comm.
Shit, damn!
Damn, I was going too fast.
My heart wants to
to jump out of my chest.
Then let it out.
I feel like I'm standing in front of
David Carradine in a kung fu episode.
Oh no, no! He is Chinese.
Take rather
Mister Miyagi from "Karate Kid".
He is Japanese.
"Apply wax..."
-Miyagi is all over me.
Would you like it if I said
that Obelix is German?
There she is.
-Tetsu-san!
Noriko-san!
-Tetsu-san, there you are!
Is this your strange guest,
looking for umami?
Right.
Before he finds it,
he'll freeze to death in this cold here.
All right, let's go! Go!
Thank you for your patience.
Here you go.
Oh, Taya, you're late! -I'm sorry,
I couldn't leave her alone.
Why are you alone in the restaurant?
Is your father not well?
No, he's fine.
Yuri, please help at the cash register.
Yuri, turn off the phone. Make an effort,
or there'll be no pocket money.
So what's going on with your father?
He is doing well...
Are you taking this to number four?
-Good.
When we close, I'll tell you everything.
-Good.
Thanks for waiting! Sorry.
Here you go!
Enjoy.
Good day.
-Good afternoon! How many people are you?
Four?
Please take a seat at this table.
Gently, gently...
Kanpai!
-Kanpai.
This meat is a symphony.
-In the bone of the pig
is the umami,
which serves as the basis for my broths.
Noriko plays music for them.
That is what makes their meat so tasty.
I'd like to see that. Really.
So, everybody get to work!
-Yes, boss!
Super!
May it be to your liking.
"The lobster la vanilla
by Chef Jean is delightful.
There is no better..."
Suddenly he was standing in front of the door!
But I didn't feel like
to invite him in.
For years, he didn't get in touch.
I have fond memories of him.
Is that so?
I have not one memory
of a kind gesture
of my drunken father.
Yuri, get off your cell phone already.
What else am I supposed to do?
-Clean up. Can't you see that for yourself?
Hey, hey, hey... Where are you going?
Into the fresh air.
It's totally smoky here.
Raising kids over 40 is tough.
-Excuse me?
I became a mother at 16.
We both have it hard.
Aren't you afraid to leave
to leave Mai alone with the Frenchman?
What scares me the most
when she is all alone.
But she does get a lot of medication.
Doesn't that reassure you?
Neither the medication
nor the psychotherapy help.
Her ex-boyfriend has posted nude pictures
on a revenge porn site.
To forget the memory of it...
... it needs something else.
It's like rape.
She feels soiled.
She will make it.
She has a strong core.
Enough about me.
You call your father slowly!
TAYA CALLS...
WON! CONGRATULATIONS
Aren't you too cold?
-No.
Is that him, your old acquaintance,
who has come,
to find the secret of umami?
That's right, Go-san.
-Umami, well!
Meet: Go.
The master of this place,
the candy virtuoso.
What is it?
It is amazing.
Candy.
Candy?
My godfather farmed oysters for 60 years.
And that was the first,
that he found. Isn't that crass?
Can you taste it?
Awaken the taste buds
of your palate!
Sour, salty, bitter, sweet...
Let us savor their sacred union!
Bite for bite
the desire increases
the insatiable desire
for overpowering.
Let us feel their swelling.
In other words, it's just like sex!
This will be difficult for me
to translate.
It seems to me
the master was just talking about ecstasy.
About love, to be more precise.
Thank you very much, sir.
A three-star restaurant,
I'm sure the food is delicious.
I think it's not bad.
No idea what's on the menu.
It would be my dream
to hold such a card in my hands.
So, what is there
at the "Monsieur Quelqu'un"?
What's wrong? Everything okay?
I am sorry.
"Pig's foot of Porc noir de Bigorre,
deboned, foie gras,
candied shallots,
grilled mushrooms, black truffles..."
A morning like all others
A new challenge
Search a little magic
In this disgruntled inertia
Limping in the rain
Playing the role of a lifetime
And one evening the curtain falls...
-Unbelievable!
So it is for all
Staying on your feet,
but at what price?
One's own instinct
and sacrifice one's own desire
That which is essential
Golly!
-I'm glad to see you too.
... and the first day
of the rest of your life
Confidential
"After the onset of winter,
in the dark season..."
Why do you always want to have it more beautiful?
Further and further, higher and higher?
Why do you want the moon
When you have the stars?
THE SECOND MOST BEAUTIFUL AFTER YOU,
I HAVE SEEN IN MY LIFE
When certainties break away
In a few seconds
"THE LOBSTER LA VANILLA
FROM CHEF JEAN IS DELIGHTFUL."
To weigh oneself in the grave
Is hard for all
Staying on your feet,
but at what price?
One's own instinct,
Sacrifice one's own desire
However confidential they may be
I'm so hungry! I'm about to fall over.
But everything can suddenly change...
-Fumi, good evening!
Oh, you're here too!
-Let's go to the back.
That is fateful
Why do you want the moon
When you have the stars?
"THE LOBSTER LA VANILLA
FROM CHEF JEAN IS DELIGHTFUL."
Table for two, please.
What are you doing here?
The two best chefs in the world
are said to be here.
Am I happy!
You have no idea
how happy I am.
The moment had come,
in which the arrogant monsieur understood,
that it is not valid
to reach for a fantasized moon,
and that each of us
is already in possession of stars.
And if the best recipe is the one
that reconciles us with life?
That of a family kitchen,
in which one complements the other,
has no certainties,
but the essential little joys of life
of life up close and personal?
Yes, the warm aroma of bread,
the scent of fresh herbs,
that sway in the wind,
the smell of chestnuts and mushrooms
in a wicker basket.
All these things,
that make us so alive.
Sometimes the taste hypnotizes us
and transports us to rare places,
where recipes are passed down from
passed down from generation to generation,
where the infinite variety
of the soil of a region
part of our senses
and our culture.
Today I still ask myself
how likely it was,
that all the ingredients of life,
which are often indigestible,
come together and transform...
... into a delicious bowl of ramen.
Yes, all of this together is umami.
-I raise my glass to umami!
To Umami!
-On Umami!
An aroma,
an odyssey,
a flavor enhancer
for the leaps of the heart.
I said yes,
that doesn't work for me.
What exactly do you remember?
Of what? Well...
To...
-An?
Something brilliant...
An aroma...
Ah yes...
Yes?
To a...
To an aroma of...
Yes?
... from...
... From family.
It's all there, right under my nose.
Yes, that's all
I remember.